Message for subject association:

Some of you won’t have caught up with this, but the Minister made an announcement yesterday about the future shape of PLD, and work with subject associations and other professional groupings is in there, but it’s all pretty nebulous at this stage. Angela went to a meeting prior to the release, and says that the intention is to consult with subject association about ways of working. Pauline Barnes, who was at the subject association forum earlier this year, was the Ministry official at the meeting, so she must be in charge of steering it I think.

I have muttered things around here about the bad experiences that some subject associations had in working with the MOE in contracting relationships through the alignment project, and I’m told yes, we know that, we’ll try to make sure it’s better this time! How much of it will turn out to be contracts to deliver something the Ministry has decided is a priority, and how much of it will be money to build your capability to do the PLD you do now but better is far from clear to me at this stage. I suppose it will become clearer!

Local Chinese Teacher Assistants The Confucius Institute in Auckland, in partnership with Hanban in China and Chinese Consulate General Office in Auckland is offering opportunities for native speakers of Mandarin to become Local Teacher Assistants (LTAs) to support schools in the development of their Chinese language and culture programmes. The LTAs will teach Chinese language and culture to students with the help of a New Zealand registered teacher or assist a lead Chinese language teacher in one or several schools in Auckland or wider region spanning from Northland to the Waikato. The successful applicants are expected to commit to an initial training programme in China and then an induction training and ongoing professional development in New Zealand with the potential to become a qualified Chinese language teacher. Opportunities are available for several successful applicants to begin work in the 2016 school year.

On Sunday 17th of August, nearly 300 students and parents attended the Chinese Immersion Day at Rewi Alley Chinese School in Christchurch. The Chinese Immersion Day was organized by New Zealand Chinese Language Teachers’ Association Canterbury, in cooperation with Rewi Alley Chinese School and Confucius Institute of Canterbury University.

17th of August was the first day of the International Language Week this year so the Chinese Immersion Day was a good start of the international language week. The event provided over twenty different Chinese language and culture activities for students from primary and secondary schools in Canterbury to participate. The culture activities were designed for students who have no prior learning of Chinese language while the language activities were designed for students who are currently learning Chinese language.

At two O’clock in the afternoon, all the attendants assembled in the school assembly hall for an official opening. We were very honored to have the presence of Chinese Consul General of Christchurch, Madam Tan Xiutian. We were also very fortunate to have the deputy chair of Wigram/Riccarton Community Board, the president of NZ China Friendship Society Canterbury Branch, the Education Director of Asia NZ Foundation to speak at this event. The sharing of their experiences of Chinese Language and culture has inspired the students to see the purpose of learning the language.

The guests, parents and students all enjoyed the day and gave congratulations on the success of the event. There is a strong demand for this event to be repeated in the future.